10 – Love at the Island Games

Machine-translated from Faroese and not yet reviewed. Read the original.

As is well known, the 1989 Island Games were held in the Faroe Islands. It was, of course, almost impossible to put up all the athletes, coaches and officials in hotels and guesthouses around the country, so another solution had to be found. The athletics took place on the brand-new track at Svangaskarð, and all the athletes also ended up staying in that area. We have often talked to runners from Gotland and the Isle of Man who have told us about their incredibly positive experiences of staying in private homes in Toftir.

The Gibraltar team, however, had rented a house in Toftir. Among the Gibraltar team was the talented 23-year-old Fabian Franco. At the Island Games in Guernsey two years earlier he had finished 4th in the 5,000 m in 15:53.8 and 5th in the 1,500 m in 4:13.0. So he was, naturally, looking forward to the competition in the Faroe Islands. One day, before things got under way in earnest, he ended up in the sports hall at the school in Runavík. There he saw some young girls rehearsing something for the opening of the athletics. One girl in particular caught his eye. It was Randi Gleðisheygg, then only 17, who lived at Nes in Toftir.

Fabian ran only the 5,000 m in Toftir. Although he had improved a great deal since 1987, his time of 15:17.8 was again only good enough for fourth place. But when the Island Games in the Faroe Islands were over, Fabian had still won the biggest gold medal of his life, because he was now together with the young girl from Nes whom he had fallen head over heels for at first sight.

Fabian and Randi Franco are still just as much in love

Fabian ran a few races in the Faroe Islands in the summers of 1990 and 1991. He was a very fast runner, and not least a positive runner with a clear idea of the right tactics. His advice was always: Start hard out and keep the pace. The last Island Games Fabian took part in were two years later, and that was also the year he ran his very best. He had now moved to the middle distances, and he won his heat in the 800 m in 1:54.57. In the final, despite a fantastic time of 1:52.95, he had to give way to the great runner Michael Guegan, but could still celebrate the silver medal. And there was more joy in the 1,500 m, where he managed to run his way to bronze. Here too the time was outstanding: 3:55.27!

1991 is also the year Fabian remembers best as a runner. That year he also competed at the World Athletics Championships, held at the Olympic stadium in Tokyo. This was only a month after the Island Games, but the results were not as good. He ran 1:54.29 in the 800 m and 4:03.94 in the 1,500 m. What stands out most in his memory from that championship was watching the legendary long jump duel between Mike Powell and Carl Lewis, which ended with the world record from 1968 being broken by a jump of 8.95 m by Mike Powell.

Fabian Franco at the front of the picture with his light, elegant style.

 

The Gibraltar athletics team at the Island Games in the Faroe Islands. Fabian is standing 3rd from the right, wearing the cap.

Randi and Fabian have two sons. The elder, Julian, who is now 23, was part of the Gibraltar Island Games squad in Rhodes, where he ran the 200 m. He was only 16 at the time, but still managed to run 24.78 seconds. He has also been with the national team at the Commonwealth Games in India. Julian no longer runs, but the younger son does. And Fabian has high hopes for him. Although he only turned 15 this December, he has already run 11.92 sec in the 100 m and 24.98 sec in the 200 m. Jerry, as the younger son is called, is not very big yet. Only 1.57 m so far, so they hope he will really make his mark once height and muscle come.

Jessy Franco is a very talented sprinter. He trains with his father and with his father’s old coach.

On board the Dúgvan from Tórshavn to Toftir. Fabian on the left.